2009 Picada 15 White Blend

An Estate grown and bottled White blend from the Neuquen region of Patagonia in Argentina. The blend is 55% Chardonnay, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Pinot Noir. Yes, Pinot Noir is a red grape, but they remove the grape skins right after crushing the grapes, so you get none of the red grape color. The wine is aged for 5 months in stainless steel tanks and the alcohol content is 14.3%.

A light wheat yellow with lime green highlights. The nose is grapefruit and oranges, a little green apple and cut flowers. It tastes of light apricot mixed with lemon/lime, then tart apple. The has good acidity, it’s there but it does not get in the way of the flavor. A very light tart apple finish, you can barely taste it, but it last and lasts.

Light, crisp, refreshing, cheap, just how a White blend should be. Would pair well with grilled seafood and light pasta dishes.

NV Seven Daughters White Blend

Non Vintage White Blend sourced from vineyards all over California. The blend is 26% Chardonnay, 25% French Colombard (a Bordeaux grape), 19% Symphony ( a new grape developed in California in the 40’s), 12% Orange Muscat (usually in dessert wines), 8% Riesling, 7% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Gewurztraminer. Non Vintage means the grapes did not all come from one single vintage year, such as there could be grapes from 2009 and 2008 in the mix. The alcohol content is 13.5%.

The color is a light golden yellow. The nose is all citrus and flowers, grapefruit, orange and magnolia trees in full bloom.  A nice silky mouth feel. Tangerines and peaches, a touch of minerality and enough acidity to work well as a food wine. A lengthy tart lemony finish.

Very light bodied, crisp, refreshing and tasty. Perfect for sitting out on the balcony and watching the sun go down or pair with grilled shrimp and pasta.

2008 Bianco Cube

A white wine blend from Spoleto in Umbria, Italy. A combination of 3 Italian grape varietals, Trebbiano Spoletino, Grechetto and Pecorino. An I.G.T. designated wine, that means the grapes were grown outside the main government regulated growing areas ( DOC or DOCG), and subject to less regulation. No oak and 12.5 % alcohol content.

Very clear, light wheat yellow in color. The nose is pineapple, a dusty floral note and sliced peaches. Fresh juicy fruit up-front, peach, pineapple, a light touch of apricot and then a good balanced dose of minerality. There is a solid splash of acidity on the mid-palate, but it is softened by the vibrant fruit. The lengthy finish is apricot with a touch of citrus

An excellent summer wine, a light body, delicious fresh fruit on the palate, well balanced. The Bianco Cube would be a good choice at your local wine bar and will pair well with Mediterranean style food.

2009 Green Fin California White Table Wine $5

Made by Bronco Wine Company, the producers of Charles Shaw Wines (2 Buck Chuck). The grapes are all certified organic and are sourced from their 35,000 acres of vineyards in Central Coast, California. Like most Trader Joe’s exclusive wines, there is little or no information about the wine either on the label or on the internet. The Green Fin is a white wine blend and only three of the grapes have been revealed, Colombard, Muscat and Sultanas. You are probably aware of the Sultana grape in a different use, when dried into a raisin, they are used in Raisin Bran cereal. The alcohol content is 12%.

Light yellow,almost champagne like in color. A pretty, delicately fragrant nose, tropical fruit, orange zest and honey suckle. Slightly sweet in flavor, citrus with orange blossom honey upfront, then sweetened pineapple. The mouth feel is syrupy and the finish is mild citrus, that quickly fades. Not terribly complex or structured, all the initial flavors fade quickly, and there is no mid palate.

This is a hot weather wine, light and refreshing when served chilled. Not a wine you would pick to pair with food, not enough acidity to do the job. The flavors exhibited are fine, it tastes good, it’s just that the second half of this wine is missing.

Chateau Renni Brut Cava NV

Spanish Cava done in the Traditional style. The grapes used are Viura 50%, Xarel-lo 30% and Parellada 20% (all three are white grapes). Second fermentation is 16 months in the bottle. The term Brut indicates this Cava is on the dryer side with less than 12 grams of sugar per liter.

Cava’s bring a lot to the table for a reasonable amount of money. If you think of only France and Champagne for Sparkling Wine, you are missing out  on some terrific wines from other regions and Cava’s are some of the best Sparkling wines for the price.

The color is light golden wheat. The nose is lively, melon, honeysuckle and apple. The taste is tart and refreshing, slightly acidic and crisp. Flavors include lemon, toasty bread, tart apple. Elegant, nicely complex.

Sparkling Wine is not just for special occasions and Sunday Brunch. There is no reason not to enjoy this Cava on a Tuesday evening while watching TV or an alternative to beer at that Saturday cook-out.

2005 Gramona Gran Cuvee – $16

Gramona is the last family owned Cava maker in Spain. The Gran Cuvee is a blend of three grapes, Xarel.lo (that’s right it has a period in the middle), Macabeo and Chardonnay. The still wine is aged one year in French Oak and thirty months “on lees” ( in the bottle while the yeast is doing the second fermentation). Parker gave this vintage 91 points. So far so good, we have a single vintage, estate grown and bottled, 90 point plus Sparkler selling for 16 bucks.

Pale yellow in color, it looks very elegant in the glass. The nose is buttered toast, hints of butterscotch and a bit of lemon zest. The taste is sharp green apples on your tongue and fresh baked apple pie in the back of your palate with  that champagne nutty, yeasty note evident; cool, different levels of flavor. It has both a tart citrus component and a creamy almost buttery element. This a very classy bottle of wine, delicate and varied. The bubbles are light and fleeting, but the taste makes a statement. This is a sparkling wine that will hold it’s own with sparklers far more expensive.